Eastern Spot-billed Duck vs Mute Swan
Anas zonorhyncha compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Eastern Spot-billed Duck | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas zonorhyncha | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 53.6 cm (21.1 in) | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 1017.5 g (35.89 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fish, aquatic invertebrates, and amphibians; dives in freshwater rivers; serrated bill grips prey; fish … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | 7-9 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, marshes, and rice paddies in northeastern Asia from eastern Russia and Siberia through China, Korea, and Japan. Winters in southern China and southern Japan.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Female produces a loud, descending quacking series; male gives a low, nasal grunt. Vocalizations closely resemble the Indian Spot-billed Duck; pairs call antiphonally on East Asian wetlands.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Found in wetlands across Southeast Asia, from India to China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Largely resident; local seasonal movements.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Brown body with pale buff face and throat; dark crown and eye stripe. Yellow-tipped black bill lacking the red spot of Indian Spot-billed Duck. Iridescent green speculum with white border. …
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
About These Birds
Eastern Spot-billed Duck
A large brown dabbling duck with a yellow-tipped black bill, without the red spot of its Indian relative, and a green speculum. Found across northeastern Asia. Partially migratory; breeds in northern China, Korea, and Siberia; winters farther south and east.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.